Ohio Safe Homes Act Summary

• Allows tenants who are victims of rape, attempted rape, domestic violence, dating violence, abuse, or sexually oriented offenses to terminate rental agreements with 30 days' notice by providing either a qualifying protection order or a written report from a qualified third party (law enforcement, health care professional, court employee, mental health professional, or victim advocate).

• Permits protected tenants to install new locks on rental premises at their own expense by rekeying or replacing the locking mechanism, with landlords prohibited from disclosing tenant information to the named individual restrained by the protection order.

• Exempts service calls to law enforcement relating to domestic violence, dating violence, abuse, and sexual offenses from being classified as nuisances under Ohio law.

• Provides landlords with a $200 nonrefundable tax credit for each rental agreement terminated by a protected tenant under this section.

• Prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to otherwise qualified applicants based on their status as a victim of these crimes or suspicion they may become victims, and prevents retaliation against tenants for invoking these protections.